Encouraging Reading Comprehension Strategies

The other day our family was in the car listening to Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey for the millionth time this month. (I really do love the book, but I am ready to put it to bed for at least another year!) We have been finishing up our lapbook on this title, and now we are just rereading the book for (the kids’) enjoyment. During the story, my kiddo made some interesting comments that showed great inferencing and questioning skills. This kiddo is on the verge of reading right now, so we have been working hard on decoding this summer, but as I reflect on this particular moment, I see some great comprehension strategies at work that some kids who are already reading do not use. Why is this so significant?

There are many children who can “word call”, or recognize words, who cannot understand what they are reading. As a reading teacher, I often worked with struggling readers who needed to develop their comprehension skills. Even proficient readers don’t always use all of the reading strategies that they could when they read, and I taught many lessons on how to apply those reading strategies. Some kids do not even realize that they are supposed to think while they are reading, so they simply “read” the words from the page to get through it. (This one of the reasons that some kids hate reading.) Comprehension is the reason that we read, though. You read to find out or as an escape from the real world. You need to understand what you read.

I am impressed by my kiddo’s ability to make inferences and ask great questions about books. How have I encouraged this?

1. Read aloud to your children - no matter how old they are. It is crucial that you model good reading (and comprehension skills) for your children.
2. Read the selection to yourself before you read it to your children. This only applies if you are planning on explicitly teaching particular reading strategies with the title. It helps to think about the text and about your own reactions and questions before you read with the children.
3. Tell your children what you are thinking about when you read aloud. (aka think aloud) Here is another example of modeling for your children. You might also bring up a point about the text that your child hadn’t thought of.
4. Ask your child questions while you read. These questions can be used to check basic comprehension like “What did Sal do with the blueberries?” Or ask for a prediction like “What do you think Sal’s mother will do when she realizes that Little Bear is following her and not Sal?”
5. Have your child find the answers to your questions in the text. Showing you what in the text made yoru child think of something can be very enlightening, especially if there is a misunderstanding. It also shows you that your child is using the information in the text and not just experiences to understand the book.
6. Ask follow-up questions to help your child take that extra step. You can deepen your child’s comprehension and general knowledge if you push them beyond the basic comprehension questions.
7. Make inferences and ask inference questions. Again, this is a way of modeling comprehension strategies. Ask, “Why would Sal’s mother be afraid to have a baby bear following her?” inferencing is a difficult comprehension skill, so try to model it often.
8. Make connections. When you read, you think about how the book relates to your life, other books, and the world at large. Start thinking about how you do this and try modeling it for your children.
9. Point it out when your child is actually using a comprehension strategy. This is really encouraging and labels the skill for your child. Chances are your child will use that strategy more in the future.
10. Have a genuine conversation about the text. Respond to what you are reading. Talk about what you like about the characters or what you don’t like about the writing style. Ponder about the story line.

Remember that reading is supposed to be fun, but it is only fun if you understand the text. Teach your children a few reading strategies in order to make reading a pleasurable experience. Happy reading!

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8 Ways to Encourage Curiosity

Homeschooling has given me a new lens to look at the world of education through. Many times I have my own plans for what we are going to do, but my children and my husband definitely have shown me that there are may different ways to approach learning. My experience with my own children has revealed to me that I can let my children take the wheel more often than not, and I can encourage them to question.

My children have a strong desire to know more. They ask “why” constantly - more than I would like to hear!  It has made me think about ways to encourage children’s natural curiosity and desire to learn. Here are some strategies that I have found successful:

1. When your child asks a question or a series of questions, answer them the best that you can, and find the answers if you don’t know them. I like to think that since I answer my kids’ questions to the best of my ability, they are encouraged to be that much more inquisitive. If you brush off your child’s questions, s/he will simply stop asking.
2. If you are truly exasperated by the shear number of questions (and I am often), turn the questions back on your child. Find out if your child can make a hypothesis or a deduction based on the information at hand or prior experiences.
3. Ask your child lots of questions when you are out and about or in the middle of a teachable moment. Expect your child to use higher order thinking skills, too. For example, today we went to Plimoth Plantation. I asked my children to deduce what a room was used for based on the clues they found in the room. I also asked them to make observations about the houses and compare them to our home. What does our home have that these homes do not? Why do you think these homes do not have those things?
4. Ask your own genuine questions when your child is with you. For example, I have wondered why certain plants will not grow in particular parts of our yard, and I want to find ones that will grow. Then it is my job to find the answers to those questions. Remember that you are your child’s model. Children imitate adult behavior - even older kids - so give them a great example for what it means to be curious, and show them where you can find the answers to your own questions.
5. Go on adventures! Novel experiences stimulate the mind. Your child will be more likely to have questions if you give your child a wide variety of experiences to draw from. Go hiking. Go to museums. Try gardening. try something new.
6. Here is your chance to live vicariously through your children. Play with them and encourage imaginative play!Your involvement in imaginative play will change the play scenarios and encourage thinking skills.
7. Read to your child. Remember to read a variety of genres - poetry, nonfiction, historical fiction, science fiction, etc. Try reading aloud genres that your child typically does not read on his/her own to broaden his/her horizons. The new ideas presented as you read will open your child up to new ways of thinking. This is also an opportunity to ask more of those questions. Encourage your child to also ask questions while you read.
8. Let your child take the lead. Observe your child in one of those new situations. What is interesting? What is your child drawn to? Now take some time to draw that out of your child. Maybe you can also plan other adventures that incorporate more of your child’s interests.

Enjoy your children’s natural curiosity and let yourself be taken away by it from time to time.

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Boldly Testify

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Acts 23:11

Paul is a hero of mine. God required a lot of him as a missionary - I think because Paul had hated the disciples and participated in martyring Stephen before his conversion. Paul was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee. He held a prominent place in Jewish society. God wanted to use that to build His kingdom. He knew that Paul would be able to reach people that others would not. I admire Paul’s fortitude and faith.

In Acts 23:11, God is asking Paul to boldly speak about Him. Paul is on trial being accused of defiling the temple by bringing “unclean” Gentiles in - an accusation that came about because of a misunderstanding. Paul was actually trying to show his loyalty by taking Jewish vows. God uses everything for His good, though, and this opportunity was no exception. Paul was going to defend himself in front of very prominent people, and God expected him to share his testimony boldly.

I am reminded to boldly share my faith with my children, my family, my friends, and my clients. My testimony will touch a certain group of people in a way that no other person’s testimony will just as Paul’s did. And just as Paul’s testimony had and still has an impact on the kingdom in a very special way (even ways that we don’t understand or know about) my testimony will build God’s kingdom in a unique way. God made me unique just for that reason.

Obedience can come at a price, though. God requires me to share my testimony, like Paul, no matter where I am. He will ask me to testify especially when there is a great opportunity for kingdom building. Sometimes those opportunities are risky for me as a citizen of this world. However, God promises to be with me every step of the way. “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5 He will guide me in the moments that I boldly share my testimony, especially during those risky moments.

What does this mean to my homeschool? I am the primary teacher in our home, and as such I am called to model Paul’s obedience, faith, and fortitude for my children. The Lord spoke to Paul and encouraged him, and that is also my role. I encourage and stand by my children when they are taking risks - any risks. Afterall, my relationship with my children is a model for their future relationship with God, our father. If they can take steps of faith and take risks - following my model - with my gentle encouragement, I can help them to learn to take leaps of faith for God - following Paul’s model - with the Lord’s gentle encouragement.

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